Slide-plate for railway-switches



No. 752,517. PAT-BNTED FEB. 16. 1904. J. CARTER.

SLIDE PLATE FOR RAILWAY SWITGHES. APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 30,1903.

H0 MODEL.

Tn: mums Pzyzas no. Puma-um; WASHINGTON. n c.

UNITED STATES" Patented February 1 16, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN CARTER, OF HIGHLANDTOWN, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR OF ONE HALF TO THOMAS J. GONNOLLY, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

. .SLlDEFPLA T E Foe" RAILWAY-SWITCHES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 752,517, dated February 16, I904.

Application filed September 80, 1903. Serial No. 175,118. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN CARTER, a citizen .of the United States, residing at Highlandful Improvements in Slide-Plates for Railway-' Switches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved switch slide-plate for railway-switches.

The object of the invention is to provide a switch slide-plate with improved means for holding the fixed rail in position against both outward and inward movement.

It is well known that in switch constructions at the present time the fixed rails of the main track cannot be spiked to the cross-ties on the inside of the rail next to or adjoining the switch-tongue, because the movable switchtongue must fit up close to the inner side of the fixed rail and overlap the foot or rail flange, and spikes through this inside flange would prevent such a fit. In order, therefore, to secure the fixed rails and counteract any tendency to narrow the gage by the said rails moving toward each other, the ordinary slide or switch plates now in use have the raised surface whereon the switch-tongue slides provided with a shoulder againstwhich the foot or flange of the fixed rail contacts. In such constructions considerable trouble is experienced in setting the rails so that the rail-foot will snugly fit against the shoulders, and in cases where the width of the rail-foot varies much time and labor is required to properly fit the rail to the plate. By my invention these difiiculties are all overcome and the rails may quickly be put into place andrigidly secured against lateral movement in either direction that is, against movement which will either broaden or narrow the gage.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 illustrates a plan view of a railwayswitch provided with my improved switchplates. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of same on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of my improved switchany of the well-known forms.

plate and rail-holder and a portion of the fixed rail secured-in place.

.In the drawings, a designates the cross-ties; b, the fixed or main track rails; 0, the movable switch points or tongue, and d the improved slide or switch plate.

The construction of the switch may be of The switch slide-plate 0? comprises a baseplate on which the fixed orvmain track rails 72 rest and a raised or elevated surface f on which the movable switch-tongue 0 slides. It will be observed, however, from Figs. 2 and 3 that this raised slide-surfacef has no shoulder that contacts with the foot or flange of the fixed rail 6; but a clear space is left between these parts, and consequently there is no trouble in setting the fixed rail. At one end the plate d is provided with a brace g, which is formed or cast integral with said plate, and said brace extends in an upwardly-inclined direction from the base-plate to form a V- shaped undercut or space it, in which one side of the foot I) of the fixed rail 5 takes. This brace has an upright wall 2', provided with two parallel straight sides, one of which takes against the web 12 of the fixed rail, while the top of said wall terminates beneath the head of the rail.

A fillet-web 1' connects the vertical wall a, the inclined brace g, and the base-plate, and serves to stifiien said vertical wall and prevent the same from springing out of a vertical line. This brace and wall 2 serve to prevent the main track-rail I) from spreading or outer movement.

A bolt is, passing through the vertical wall i and also through the web Z2 of the'fixed rail, serves to securely hold the said fixed rail 1) in rigid position against the said vertical wall and prevents any inward movement of the said rail.

The plated is also provided at its outer end with a central'spike-notch Z, and two holes 972- are located at opposite sides and have position at the edge of the fixed rail-foot in order that a spike when driven through said holes on will have its head projecting over and on top'of said rail-foot. The plate d is also provided at its inner end with a spike-hole n.

It will thus be seen that the upright side of the wall 11 permits the latter to fit close against the outer sideof the web of the rail, and this Vertical wall also provides a straight or flat surface against which the nut on the bolt k may bear, and thereby the rail 6 may be securely bolted to said vertical wall 6 and rigidly held against lateral movement. It will also be seen that the fillet-web j serves to stiffen the vertical wall and prevents the latter springing from a vertical to an inclined position.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim as new, and desire to secure by and movable rails the combination of a plate, (2, on which the fixed rails rest and having an upwardly+projecting brace at one end which is narrower than the plate, said plate also having a spike-hole at opposite sides adjacent said narrower brace and also having a raised surface which is spaced from the flange of the fixed rail and on which the movable rail slides, and a bolt extending through the web of the fixed rail and also through said brace whereby to secure the fixed rail against movement in a direction toward said raised surface.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN CARTER. Witnesses:

CHARLES B. MANN, J r., G. FERDINAND Voe'r. 

